The game, while good, doesn't live up to the Dragon Age game, but to the Dragon Effect name. Storywise it's _just_ fine but the rehashes (every area is reused at least 10x somewhere else), lack of dialogue freedom, boring repeated quests, and streamlined plus simplified gameplay elements help bring out the terrible fact for everyone to see. This game is not a sequel to Dragon Age andThe game, while good, doesn't live up to the Dragon Age game, but to the Dragon Effect name. Storywise it's _just_ fine but the rehashes (every area is reused at least 10x somewhere else), lack of dialogue freedom, boring repeated quests, and streamlined plus simplified gameplay elements help bring out the terrible fact for everyone to see. This game is not a sequel to Dragon Age and shouldn't be called DA:II. It's a complete spinoff of the original game and should be treated as such.

While good enough on its own two feet the game is brought down by sharing the title of the best RPG of the former decade. If you, as like others, are intent on enjoying the game then do not go into it with DA:O fresh in your mind. It will shatter your every expectation and leave you numb from the betrayal of BioWare.…Expand

It's in no way a bad game, it just doesn't reach the heights that the first one did. The console heavy gameplay on the PC really isn't well suited for the type of game most people expected. This should have been an off shoot Dragon Age game, not 2.

An unworthy sequel to a great game. Dragon Age 2 falls short in every single way except the story, that being the story is vastly unrelated to the first game and waits for proper tie in with the expected next sequel. If you were expecting a new game with new innovations then you will be sadly mistaken. If you want closure to stories pertaining to those of Dragon Age Origins/ Awakening thenAn unworthy sequel to a great game. Dragon Age 2 falls short in every single way except the story, that being the story is vastly unrelated to the first game and waits for proper tie in with the expected next sequel. If you were expecting a new game with new innovations then you will be sadly mistaken. If you want closure to stories pertaining to those of Dragon Age Origins/ Awakening then you this will only cause more questions than before. My advice for any dragon age fan is to wait for the next one and then play this, this barely has any purpose as of right now.…Expand

I expected MUCH more. Dragon Age: Origins had an excellent concept and was much more enjoyable overall. This game definitely does not deserve to be part of the main series. The fact that you're forced to be in one town for most of the game shows how lazy EA is getting.

A BioWare employee was caught posing as a consumer on the review site Metacritic. The employee, Chris Hoban, who posted under the name of Avanost gave a score of 10/10 saying "Anything negative you'll see about this game is an overreaction of personal preference." A representative for EA responded after much online controversy saying "Of course the people who make the game vote for theirA BioWare employee was caught posing as a consumer on the review site Metacritic. The employee, Chris Hoban, who posted under the name of Avanost gave a score of 10/10 saying "Anything negative you'll see about this game is an overreaction of personal preference." A representative for EA responded after much online controversy saying "Of course the people who make the game vote for their own game. That's how it works in the Oscars, that's how it works in the Grammys and why I'm betting that Barack Obama voted for himself in the last election", though it is unclear if Hoban acted on his own behest or on that of the company.…Expand

After playing the demo, hoped that the full game would worth something. But, simply no. Basically, a hack&slash game with conversations, companions, etc... And those alone doesn't make a game one RPG. Just an insult. I'll no longer buy any Bioware games, they don't exist for me anymore.

The game's a bit of a rushed mess. I don't mind the streamlined combat, inventory, or even the cookie cutter locations, but at the end the story just breaks down under it's own weight. Character motivations make no sense, both factions are so unlikeable that it's hard to really choose who to go with, and to top it off it makes absolutely no difference who you side with anyway since you'reThe game's a bit of a rushed mess. I don't mind the streamlined combat, inventory, or even the cookie cutter locations, but at the end the story just breaks down under it's own weight. Character motivations make no sense, both factions are so unlikeable that it's hard to really choose who to go with, and to top it off it makes absolutely no difference who you side with anyway since you're just going up against waves of lunatics on both sides the whole time.…Expand

Incredibly disappointed with this. I was a huge fan of DA:O and was eagerly awaiting the sequel but this is nothing short of shameful. The combat system is absolutely terrible - sometimes change is bad. Very very very bad. Contrary to what some think, a negative score does not equal troll - it's a farce or a release from a company capable of oh so very much better than this. I'm soIncredibly disappointed with this. I was a huge fan of DA:O and was eagerly awaiting the sequel but this is nothing short of shameful. The combat system is absolutely terrible - sometimes change is bad. Very very very bad. Contrary to what some think, a negative score does not equal troll - it's a farce or a release from a company capable of oh so very much better than this. I'm so very sad that this game turned out like this - really was looking forward to it so much. :(…Expand

If you were a fan of Origins and any of its old school predecessors, you will be extremely disappointed with this game. The game itself is not bad, the only problem I have with it is that Dragon Age and Bioware are written on it. It's a linear, hack n slash, button masher, and it can never hope to amount to anything more. The complex branching storylines and tactical, challenging combatIf you were a fan of Origins and any of its old school predecessors, you will be extremely disappointed with this game. The game itself is not bad, the only problem I have with it is that Dragon Age and Bioware are written on it. It's a linear, hack n slash, button masher, and it can never hope to amount to anything more. The complex branching storylines and tactical, challenging combat are gone in favor of flashy moves, button mashing and a selection of 3, count em, 3 choices as to what path you will take through the game: kiss ass, smart ass, or douchebag. Take your pick. The sequel to one of the best rpgs of the previous decade is a watered down console port. How exciting. I guess I expected a major change after reading the GI preview and playing the demo, but there is no excuse for this piece of trash. I think the number of negative reviews speaks for itself, and I'm repeating like a broken record, but I just thought I'd share my two cents and help bring this garbage down to the score it deserves.â…Expand

This is one of best games of the years. Don't believe any of the bad reviews. They are shills for other gaming companies. EA is one of the finest game makers in the business and Dragon Age II exceeds all expectations and will be the number 1 RPG for years go to come.

Do not buy this game, yet wait until the GOTY or Ultimate or whatever crap the put out with ALL the DLC. You can especially tell it was rushed because the music was all from the original and the demons were just ported from the first and no Genlocks!. Many locations were simply copy and paste. While I can see the simplified inventory, combat felt stilted rather than simplified and hadDo not buy this game, yet wait until the GOTY or Ultimate or whatever crap the put out with ALL the DLC. You can especially tell it was rushed because the music was all from the original and the demons were just ported from the first and no Genlocks!. Many locations were simply copy and paste. While I can see the simplified inventory, combat felt stilted rather than simplified and had obvious bugs. I am very disappointed in Bioware. This is all too bad because I did find the story and the characters interesting.…Expand

I can't even be bothered to give a full review and for all those TL:DR people out there, then I can honestly say 'first time disappointed with Bioware". Whatever jack ass tainted this IP should be sent to work in the salt mines.

Unlike some who appear outraged over Dragon Age 2, all this game has really managed to do to me is make me somewhat sad. Sad that I have to see such an amazing developer fall so far in releasing an obviously rushed, horribly over-simplified game in order to target what appears to be their new demographic, the "console crowd". Where to start.. The game has been "streamlined" and simplifiedUnlike some who appear outraged over Dragon Age 2, all this game has really managed to do to me is make me somewhat sad. Sad that I have to see such an amazing developer fall so far in releasing an obviously rushed, horribly over-simplified game in order to target what appears to be their new demographic, the "console crowd". Where to start.. The game has been "streamlined" and simplified in areas where it just wasn't necessary.. The combat is laughable, simply wave after wave of enemies that not only die in a single hit, they somehow explode. Tactics are nonexistent.. Sure, on Nightmare you'll micromanage through waves of enemies that somehow follows the same formula regardless of what you're fighting.. Sorry, but I don't really consider that "tactical" play.

The UI is absolutely hideous, clearly having been designed with a console in mind. Yet another change that was absolutely unnecessary, all to appeal to the crowd that hasn't given a damn about BioWare while those of us that have supported them for years are casually tossed to the side.

The graphics are about the only reason this game is receiving a 2 from me.. While I noticed others are complaining about them as well, I have to give credit where credit is due and say that on DX11 with the high resolution textures the game is quite beautiful (if you can ignore the fact that every area you're in is nothing but a simple corridor). It's sad, but this game has brought me to a point where I can say that I will never, ever again pre-order a BioWare title, despite having supported almost every major release of theirs since KotOR. If you're thinking of purchasing this game, I can assure you that you really aren't missing out on much, especially if you're expecting anything even remotely resembling what made the original Dragon Age popular.

Thanks for all the great times, BioWare.. You've just really messed up on this one.…Expand

Amazing game, not as good as Dragon Age Origin though but still very close. The story is good and there are plenty of choices to make. And most of the character are interesting.I recommend it. 10 points for Dragon Age 2 :).

I loved Origins. Great game, a game in which you feel the weight of your decisions, you realize what you are doing, you realize that you are responsible for major changes in Ferelden. I expected something similar from DA2, but more refined and deeper. Sadly, what we get is an unfinished game instead of a masterpiece like the first game. It took me 20 hours less to beat Dragon Age 2I loved Origins. Great game, a game in which you feel the weight of your decisions, you realize what you are doing, you realize that you are responsible for major changes in Ferelden. I expected something similar from DA2, but more refined and deeper. Sadly, what we get is an unfinished game instead of a masterpiece like the first game. It took me 20 hours less to beat Dragon Age 2 compared to Dragon Age Origins. It took exactly 40 hours. Just like Mass Effect 2. Or Mass Effect. You know what, that feels strange, like Bioware is trying to adjust the length of its games to 40 hours. Anyway, on topic, the game is better in almost every aspect than Dragon Age Origins: we have better combat system, better RP system (not simplified but adjusted) now warrior gets benefited from investing a point or two in Magic. Design of new inventory makes a lot more sense and is much more helpful. Quests are numerous, yes, but not very much unique... Graphical part is better than Origins in every way, but the fatal flaw of Origins never got rid of in DA2, - same locations. This is very sad part, actually, because it kills the unique feel of locations you visit and destroys the atmosphere of what's happening. In DA2 the decisions you make, don't feel the same way as in Origins. Storyline in general seems weaker, but its personal opinion. What's not personal is the way story is told. 10 bloody years. What the heck?! You do something important, a couple of years passes. You do something again and another couple of years passes. WHAT DO YOU MEAN?! What's he sleeping or something in between?! Conclusion: A very good game with nice combat system, nice graphical part, more intuitive dialog system, improved RP system, better design overall, great voice work BUT with poor storyline, poor locations, the blasted Kirkwall over and over and over again, abundance of DLCs, more of a popular product than a work of art. Sad. 7/10…Expand

While DA Origins certainly was a spiritual successor to Baldurs gate, this second installment certainly is not. There are things I certainly do like about DA II , such as the Champions dialogue and realistic graphic and character advancement, the Qunari for example look more evolved and some of the textures in the towns and the fighting areas. I have however played over 25 hours now and IWhile DA Origins certainly was a spiritual successor to Baldurs gate, this second installment certainly is not. There are things I certainly do like about DA II , such as the Champions dialogue and realistic graphic and character advancement, the Qunari for example look more evolved and some of the textures in the towns and the fighting areas. I have however played over 25 hours now and I am starting to see what Bioware have done. They have concentrated mainly on the "action" side of the game and removed some of the hardcore RPG elements that made Origins an instant success with RPG fans from the PC market. Fights are now alot faster, animations look sleek and some of the elemental spells and skills now look amazing. However, I am very dissappointed with the fact I am unable to change elements of my party's Armour, I am only able to find upgrades littered sporadically around the world map, via merchants. I am also unable to craft within my party, so they have removed the alchemy and poison making abilities and re routed the player to the merchants. You are also unable to gather raw ingredients to make your potions and poisons. Now you only have to find "sources" of raw materials, which then enable you to make the more advanced recipes with the more sources you find.I must say I am also dissapointed with the world map, it doesn't give you a sense of travel, it just zones you in. They have removed the random element of meeting trouble on the road too, so those random clearings you would come across filled with bandits seem to have been dropped also. I am only 25 hours into the game but I am also finding the dungeons and maps quite generic and repetitive thus far and I am hoping this may change. To summarize, we are living in an age where Console gamers now have the power to determine the future of the PC market, they are numbing down games for lazy gamers who just havent got the time and effort to really get stuck into their RPG's. I am a Mass Effect fan and I've really loved the ME series thus far, but they have practically butchered the Dragon Age series to fall in line with a heavy dialouge success that they have had with ME. I love heavy dialogue but all they needed to do was keep the same ingriedients they had with DA : Origins , with the main character dialogue like they have done in the second installment and that would have been perfect. I have been enjoying the game so far, and reccommend it if you played Origins, but if you loved Origins for its Baldurs gate nostalgia you will definately be dissapointed with DA II. Lets hope they can salvage it with some good DLC.…Expand

Two Bioware employees have been caught posting fake 10/10 reviews to try and prop this game up. What more needs to be said? Even the guy who did the music said the game was rushed because EA wanted to cash in on a sequel ASAP.

Despite the constant copy & pasted maps, and being pretty much restricted to Kirkwall, Dragon Age II is still a very fun role-playing experience, and I would recommend playing it. I'm on my second run now, and still enjoying it... the game definitely has some low points (hence the 7), like the music, level design, repetitive (but still enjoyable at the end of the day) combat, andDespite the constant copy & pasted maps, and being pretty much restricted to Kirkwall, Dragon Age II is still a very fun role-playing experience, and I would recommend playing it. I'm on my second run now, and still enjoying it... the game definitely has some low points (hence the 7), like the music, level design, repetitive (but still enjoyable at the end of the day) combat, and anti-climatic boss battles... the story is really good though, and the characters are too. All in all, a fun game to hold me over until The Witcher 2.…Expand

Awful...I thought the user reviews might be a bit off, so I took a chance. After loving the first game so much I can now see why everyone says this is just horribly bad. I will not go into all the problems with the game as they have been explained over and over...but I'll just say that Bioware has completely done themselves a disservice by completely removing the challenge and strategicAwful...I thought the user reviews might be a bit off, so I took a chance. After loving the first game so much I can now see why everyone says this is just horribly bad. I will not go into all the problems with the game as they have been explained over and over...but I'll just say that Bioware has completely done themselves a disservice by completely removing the challenge and strategic combat of the first game. Just plain awful from story to combat...how disappointing indeed.…Expand

First, you should know that this review comes from a fan of Dragon Age Origins.
As far as I am concerned DAO was the best single player RPG of the past 10 years.
With that said, DA2 is quite simply an epic fail.
Kirkwall
One of the well known 'features' of Dragon Age 2 is that the whole "story" takes place in Kirkwall. When I read this in a game preview, I didn't mind. I assumedFirst, you should know that this review comes from a fan of Dragon Age Origins.
As far as I am concerned DAO was the best single player RPG of the past 10 years.
With that said, DA2 is quite simply an epic fail.

Kirkwall

One of the well known 'features' of Dragon Age 2 is that the whole "story" takes place in Kirkwall. When I read this in a game preview, I didn't mind. I assumed (wrongly) that Kirkwall must be HUGE. The first thing you will notice after stepping into Kirkwall is how tiny it is. It takes all of 10 minutes to explore the whole entire city. You think you are going up some stairs to explore a new area when a dialog box pops up, "Would you like to gather your party and continue?". Uh, Ok. A screen pops up where you have to click a new area. Boom. You are transported to the new area that looks exactly like the first and is tiny, tiny, tiny. There are a few crates and sacks to open, but that is it.

Oh well, you say. "I don't care how tiny it is, my attention span is so short every area will seem new to me anyways". Well you will also notice Kirkwall is filled with tons of people going about their business! What a sprawling city just filled with life! Unfortunately, you can't talk to any of these people. None. Zero. Clicking them does nothing. Area recycling

OK, so now the dreaded area recycling that fangirls everywhere try to justify. I'd like to remind everyone that I play games for fun. I realize many of you now play games as a form of repetitive work (like WoW), in that case, you still won't like this game. It is truly ridiculous. Accept a quest, go through a mine, return back and get a reward. Good, it was fun. Accept another quest, go back to the exact same mine, but now somehow there are doors closed off with rocks, and new doors magically have opened. WTF? Ok whatever, I'll let it slide. Oh wait, please don't make me go back to Kirkwall to accept another quest. I know we have moved past this but Kirkwall is so small that I memorized every area, where everything was in just one pass through of the city. I can see how people can convince themselves that this area recycling is fine, as I did myself for a little while. But finally I cracked. I hate it. I hate this game. If you haven't cracked yet, just keep playing. It will happen. I promise.

Exploration is a desired component for me in RPG's and there is no exploration here.

Battles

Not much to say about this one. Every battle is the exact same, with the a lot of the same enemies. This is just a real let down. Here is how it works: Approach an area, kill off about 7 - 10 enemies, a second wave of 7-10 enemies appears. Kill them. Move on. Every. Single. Battle. Is. The. Same. Two waves. Then done. All of them. So when you enter a battle, you know exactly what will happen, this absolutely kills immersion. It is obvious they tried to take a middle road in combat design to please console and PC players alike. They failed in both.
Combat is boring, boring, boring and boring, no strategy, and did I mention boring.

Story / Characters

Ah what else. How about the story? Weak, beyond weak. I didn't have a single moment in the game that I found the story to be enaging, in fact most of the time it was flat out confusing and vague.
In addition to the weak story that you don't care about the companion's histories are very undeveloped and interactions with them are dismal compared to its predcesor. The new dialog options of simply 'Peaceful' 'Funny' and 'Angry' is partially to blame. The old dialog system was much better.
Unlike DA-O I felt no attachment to any of them because I was barely given any information about them or opportunity to learn about them.
By the way, the main character being voiced was actually a huge detraction from the game, not a benefit.

Conclusion

I was expecting an epic sequel to DA:O. This is such an embarrassment of an RPG that I actually feel used, and conned. There is no possible way that BioWare was putting the finishing touches on this baby and thought, "Wow, good job guys. This game is really fun". The game is small, repetitive and just plain boring. Why are there 2 waves to every fight? Why are all the areas the same? Why is Kirkwall so damn small?! Why is there no life in it? I am surprised that it took them this long to release the game.

I truly miss the days where developers put their heart and soul into their games. There is always some ?????? bag that realizes they can get people to pay 60 bucks for the game on its reputation alone, and can cut costs by simply making it a pile of trash. I doubt I will ever buy another BioWare title. I am disgusted. I just wish the gaming media websites would actually rate games truthfully. They could possibly save this game by making it a Facebook only web app.

At first I was like... OMG what a trash game. Crappy combat system. Stupid camera etc etc etc. Just like most of the reviews here are. But I've forced myself to continue playing and after I while i realized that the game is not bad at all. You have the same funny character which made Origins what it was. You have the similar quests. A considerable amount of choices which affect manyAt first I was like... OMG what a trash game. Crappy combat system. Stupid camera etc etc etc. Just like most of the reviews here are. But I've forced myself to continue playing and after I while i realized that the game is not bad at all. You have the same funny character which made Origins what it was. You have the similar quests. A considerable amount of choices which affect many aspects of the game. Even the order of doing quest sometimes results in different dialogue options. The ability to import saves from the Origins and the minor effects (different quests and choices) somehow make you feel that there were a effort put in that game. I have found the game quite challenging at Nightmare difficulty if you think that the combat is like on a film just try that. The only think BIoware must do now is fix the camera, and make the dropping out of nowhere enemies disappear, put some more effort into the level design (after a while it get stupid to fight in the same cave/warehouse for 10 time) and the game will be as good as the original. Lets hope they will be able to do that with one good Ultimate edition and an expansion.…Expand

Dragon Age 1 was my favourite game of the last year, this sequel is my least favourite so far. The game mechanics and dialogue has been dumbed down to the point that its just too boring and monotonous to play.

I played DA:1 for about 60+ hours without once getting bored. DA:2 gets very boring, very quickly. Like others have said, this is more like a Mass Effect action game than an RPGDragon Age 1 was my favourite game of the last year, this sequel is my least favourite so far. The game mechanics and dialogue has been dumbed down to the point that its just too boring and monotonous to play.

I played DA:1 for about 60+ hours without once getting bored. DA:2 gets very boring, very quickly. Like others have said, this is more like a Mass Effect action game than an RPG with any depth. I've been a bit fan of Bioware games in the past, I hope they dont ruin the next Elder Scrolls game as much as Dragon Age has taken a step backwards.…Expand

console, dumbed down game, since the first trailer I knew this would happen, no distance view, fast paced hack and slash, no freedom do develop YOUR character, uninteresting companions ... it is and failed attempt to make DRAGON EFFECT tried the demo, hated it, thank heavens I did not pre-ordered it bioware is dead to me, but we still have obsidian, paradox and cd projekt

I really appreciate the detail that is evident in the texture pack on the PC. I've got a hefty desktop, but with settings on the DX11 renderer on very high, my system lags. Apparently it's an issue with nvidia drivers, I installed the beta ones. Still lags. If I can run Bad Company 2 on Max Settings and Pull 45 FPS, there is NO reason this game should stutter. I've got an i7-960, 6 GB ofI really appreciate the detail that is evident in the texture pack on the PC. I've got a hefty desktop, but with settings on the DX11 renderer on very high, my system lags. Apparently it's an issue with nvidia drivers, I installed the beta ones. Still lags. If I can run Bad Company 2 on Max Settings and Pull 45 FPS, there is NO reason this game should stutter. I've got an i7-960, 6 GB of Ram, GTX 470 1280 mb GPU...I can only imagine the problems for people with midrange systems.

I though the art is a standout feature, the lighting is significantly improved.Disappointed by the streamlining in general. Not being able to equip my companions with better armor seems counter intuitive at times. Combat seems faster but I don't like watching people explode from dagger hits or arrows. I thought the "300" style finishing moves in DA:O was more realistic and gritty.

Animation is choppy and ridiculous at times. Watching Avalene poke someone with a mace thrust is just silly, running looks choppy. I miss the "sync kills" (dawn of war term for cool finishers). It appears that the number of animations has actually decreased. I find myself wishing that Bioware had created a Return of The King Styled action game or something. It just feels awkward. In Mass Effect shots are based on skill, in addition to the stats for your weapons so it feels like you have an impact. In Dragon Age 2 that's not the case.

Locations are recycled several times. I found myself getting lost because I thought I'd already been in an area, but it was a new quest using the same resources.

My biggest disappointment is in the dialogue and character development. Conversing with Sten was a challenging experience. Now talking to my new companions, I know how they will react based on a picture.

I don't like not knowing what I'm going to say and just having a picture to base it off of. It really doesn't translate intent that well as summarized at times. I don't feel as attached to my characters because I can't chat to them anymore except when the game allows it.

I miss isometric view. I find myself having trouble aiming skills and hopping between characters to get formations for combat because the camera swings wide to compensate for being in a wall. It's frustrating.

The UI isn't as pretty. I miss the portraits with the Mana and Health Bar. Looks Sleeker than the Red and Yellow. Also, found myself bored with the quests. No sense of urgency like the warden had. Just, oh I returned some random trinket. Cool. One Gold. Some neat twists. If you wanted to take something from Mass effect, wouldn't have minded those "action interrupts" where I end up shooting someone in the middle of their speech.

I'm pretty disappointed. I played 20 hours. I know everyone is passionate on both sides. I hope those of you who enjoy the game have a good time. Bioware is an Amazing Studio despite this game and all the crappy DLC you've made. I will buy this game when it's 20 dollars on Steam just becuase I love you guys. And I might even beat it. That being said...

rant:

It feels to me like another "Witch Hunt" that is 60 dollars and with pretty streamlined tweaks to appeal to Angry Birds fans that want to "Hit a button and make something cool happen so they can get back to playing Madden or Call of Duty on their Xbawkz."

Console games for me, are a disposable experience, fun but fleeting. I can enjoy a round with a friend, but when I PC game, it's a big deal for me. It's my only hobby that I can still enjoy in my pathetic life.

I mean to say that I don't feel immersed in the world. I was actually getting bored and having to try and struggle through. I know some games take some time to warm up, (here's looking at you, KOTOR 2) and then get (mostly) good. So far 20 hours and I'm glad I can take this back tommorow and get a refund.

/rant

Mount and Blade was a lot more fun combat wise and there was no story, made by a small dev team. Would have liked either more animations or direct hack and slash. I really don't like action games though.

Except Crash Bandicoot. That game was Amazing. Like, all of them. Maybe you should make DA3 like Crash Bandicoot, Wrath of Cortex. I feel let down overall.…Expand

It is too bad they removed some of the KEY RPG elements. The game is more of a Mortal Combat hack and Slash with stats now. The Sole has been ripped from DA and now all that is left is a shallow button masher.

It is so sad that consoles ruined another great game. DA:O was amazing, good thing Elder Scrolls is coming out this year. I do not recommend DA2 if you like in-depth old schoolIt is too bad they removed some of the KEY RPG elements. The game is more of a Mortal Combat hack and Slash with stats now. The Sole has been ripped from DA and now all that is left is a shallow button masher.

It is so sad that consoles ruined another great game. DA:O was amazing, good thing Elder Scrolls is coming out this year. I do not recommend DA2 if you like in-depth old school RPG's. If you like an action game, then you may like it.…Expand

This trend (as it seems) of dumbing down the essence of what RPG has always been ...must stop. My rating is nothing more or less than a protest, a much needed one at that. The industry must cease this behavior, it's banishing the role-playing auditorium - effectively erasing the genre from existence.

Dragon Age II is like taking everything that made Dragon Age: Origins good, strip it away, add a mediocre mainstreamed gameplay with repetitive actions and environment, a story where your choices doesn't affect the outcome at all and the most boring overall game I have played in a long time. Yes, the combat is more action packed and flashy, but it ultimately is also a lot more boring,Dragon Age II is like taking everything that made Dragon Age: Origins good, strip it away, add a mediocre mainstreamed gameplay with repetitive actions and environment, a story where your choices doesn't affect the outcome at all and the most boring overall game I have played in a long time. Yes, the combat is more action packed and flashy, but it ultimately is also a lot more boring, because it stripped away the entire strategic element. I speak this after completing the game on Hard and not needing any sort of healer or crowd control at all. A simple combo of damage, damage, damage and damage was more than enough due to the fact you can easily set up group kills with the Disorients or Frozen, easing up the gameplay even further. The game, is bad, and I suggest buying Origins instead if you're new to the Dragon Age series.…Expand

What a disastrous disappointment. The first Dragon Age definitely ranked among the top 100 games of all time, a story that you controlled - going where you want when you want, chatting with your allies for hours to boost to earn their love and respect, starting off in different areas depending on your race and class... what Dragon Age II leaves us with is a replica made of dookie. Never,What a disastrous disappointment. The first Dragon Age definitely ranked among the top 100 games of all time, a story that you controlled - going where you want when you want, chatting with your allies for hours to boost to earn their love and respect, starting off in different areas depending on your race and class... what Dragon Age II leaves us with is a replica made of dookie. Never, ever give Bioware your money, it only encourages this inane garbage

This game reminds me of that movie Idiocracy, in which society becomes so stupid and uncouth that potty humor becomes high society and a man with the middle name Mountain Dew becomes president. That's exactly what this game is - the very worst of society hoisted up and mislabeled - as if Gigli were marketed as Citizen Kane 2.

Only contempt and revile live in my heart for this abomination.…Expand

While BioWare's sequel to Dragon Age Origins makes a lot of compromises to satisfy casual gamers, there are many innovations in the RPG genre that make this game a worthy sequel. First the bad: Party customization is simplified a bit too much, and copy pasting areas isn't just lazy, it's also a repetition of a mistake they made in the first Mass Effect.

The good: The story and charactersWhile BioWare's sequel to Dragon Age Origins makes a lot of compromises to satisfy casual gamers, there are many innovations in the RPG genre that make this game a worthy sequel. First the bad: Party customization is simplified a bit too much, and copy pasting areas isn't just lazy, it's also a repetition of a mistake they made in the first Mass Effect.

Combat is often criticized for being too simplified while in fact it's almost ecactly the same as in Origins. It's quicker but that's about in. I do find it disappointing that I can't zoom out because it makes targetting harder for mages.

In short: Big improvement over Origins. Lazy level design is disappointing but character relationships and the less epic storyline are more interesting.…Expand

First of all this game doesn't deserve 0 or 1 Come on people stop whining that it was not as epic as dragon age origins .Overall it is quite dissapointing after the hype it created along with th success of its predecessor but it still it is not that Bad.Basically what bioware is trying to do is make it a mass effect that's the biggest mistake dragon age is something different and whatsFirst of all this game doesn't deserve 0 or 1 Come on people stop whining that it was not as epic as dragon age origins .Overall it is quite dissapointing after the hype it created along with th success of its predecessor but it still it is not that Bad.Basically what bioware is trying to do is make it a mass effect that's the biggest mistake dragon age is something different and whats with this small map and playing with only one human is another negative but still has its positive like the story is pretty good along with the character models and the r.p.g elements Overall Its quite playable but still i recommend the predecessor why the hell the product was rushed I was suppode to give it a score of 7 but with all those negative comments its better to give it a 8…Expand

I'm not going to go in depth, because no one will read this but here's what's changed in DA2: (PC)- combat is sped up- voiced MC
- even linear than before
- Enjoy not taking a long time for quests? Well you can complete some quests by literally walking five feet.
- voice actors are hit or miss, the story feels disjointed and it feels a lot like your actions are meaningless, and the wheelI'm not going to go in depth, because no one will read this but here's what's changed in DA2: (PC)- combat is sped up- voiced MC- even linear than before- Enjoy not taking a long time for quests? Well you can complete some quests by literally walking five feet.- voice actors are hit or miss, the story feels disjointed and it feels a lot like your actions are meaningless, and the wheel adds nothing to the game. It's not even done properly like in ME2. Frequently your character ends up saying something totally different from the paraprhased note.

Overall, it's not a bad game, but as a sequel to DA2, it simply doesn't stand up.…Expand

Dragon age 2 is one of the best games so far this year, it has a great story, great characters and an improvement combat system however it does have some issues like recycling levels far too often.The Skills system has seen a vast improvement with more skills to choose from and each allies has a unique skillset

The Dragon Age story has lost it's soul with this console-implementation. It's incredibly dumbed down, and feels like a simplified game you would expect on an iPhone or mobile device. While the graphics are indeed amazing, the voice acting fine and the interface slick - it's just disappointing. The unusually high average scores from professional "reviewers" just shows how large the divideThe Dragon Age story has lost it's soul with this console-implementation. It's incredibly dumbed down, and feels like a simplified game you would expect on an iPhone or mobile device. While the graphics are indeed amazing, the voice acting fine and the interface slick - it's just disappointing. The unusually high average scores from professional "reviewers" just shows how large the divide between commercial expectations and end-user expectations really are.…Expand

Im not a huge fan of last Bioware releases, i consider DAO a good game with something really interesting and something to be improved (like the menus,inventory, crafting, linearity and more), and the mass effect serie too, not masterpieces tbh for me, but anyway good, and different games.I was and i am i huge fan of old Bioware rpgs, as im a pc player and im no more a kid i remember and iIm not a huge fan of last Bioware releases, i consider DAO a good game with something really interesting and something to be improved (like the menus,inventory, crafting, linearity and more), and the mass effect serie too, not masterpieces tbh for me, but anyway good, and different games.I was and i am i huge fan of old Bioware rpgs, as im a pc player and im no more a kid i remember and i own every rpg with Bioware involved in, and i have to admit i prefer a lot the old titles, no doubt about it.This DAO2 prolly wanted to be a mix between DAO and Mass effect as idea, to be something fresh going to please more the console mass then the old style rpg geeks, at the end its all business.But the result im sorry will not please everyone im sure about it, on console you get nowadays much better action titles then this one, especially if you consider the graphics and average fps cant compete even with non so recent titles and also the market is crowded with action oriented games, and about the pc geeks there is nothing to tell, no one will even play this more then couple of hours, prolly less.Its a real shame to see Bioware involved in a project so damn crap like this one, this game is not a sequel of DAO, its just a laggy linear arcade with minor rpg elements programmed for consoles and badly ported to pc.At least it was more honest if they realized to skip the pc release and present this game as an arcade spin off of DAO, like it actually is.Its interesting btw to see how the "professional critics" are nowadays controlled by those majors, look at the scores... bah.Even if you consider this game a brand new only console game its couldn't get more then a score of 4/10.But as im talking about the PC version, dear DAO2 you deserve a full zero.…Expand

I had read previews for this game and although I was dubious coming in, I was still willing to give it a fair chance because I really enjoyed Dragon Age: Origins. I am extremely disappointed in the final result. I prefer to play the Infinity Engine RPGs and DA:O on the highest difficulties because of the challenge. The combat mechanics really haven't changed that much from DA:O, but theI had read previews for this game and although I was dubious coming in, I was still willing to give it a fair chance because I really enjoyed Dragon Age: Origins. I am extremely disappointed in the final result. I prefer to play the Infinity Engine RPGs and DA:O on the highest difficulties because of the challenge. The combat mechanics really haven't changed that much from DA:O, but the nightmare difficulty in DA2 is flat out broken. The encounters are the driest and most uncreative things I have experienced in an RPG in a long time. *Every* fight ends up with the initial group of enemies plus two to four waves of additional NPCs that materialize from nowhere. The fights become less an ability of tactics and more of an endurance battle where you are whittled down and praying that another wave of enemies isn't coming. Another major problem is the lack of an isometric camera. In the Infinity Engine games and DA:O, the camera was placed overhead which allowed easy command of your characters. In DA2, you do not have access to such a feature and targeting becomes an arduous event. It is apparent that this is a console game first and the PC version was merely an afterthought. The storyline is also disappointing. The game starts out in an unnamed mountain with characters we know nothing about and within fifteen minutes, something happens to a major NPC. I am guessing that Bioware wants us to feel sympathy during the event, but there is no way to have any sort of connection with the characters because you do not know them. The story is also supposed to take place during a ten year period, but there are jumps in time spanning several years and you never see any of the characters age, therefore you are left confused. Sadly, Dragon Age 2 is a product of Bioware being bought by a corporate giant and being forced to rush out a game and appeal to a specific demographic. The days of wonderful fantasy RPGs are long gone for this developer. I am in greatly disappointed that the creators of the finest RPG of all time has fallen from grace in a mere decade.…Expand

Seriously folks- this game on the nightmare setting is a man's endeavor. It requires utilization of cross class combos, precise management of group member placements during AOE attacks, constant pausing to micro-manage, and twice as much mustard as DOA. The black emporium DLC is pretty much a requirement so you can respec your character and your party members (like countless times to getSeriously folks- this game on the nightmare setting is a man's endeavor. It requires utilization of cross class combos, precise management of group member placements during AOE attacks, constant pausing to micro-manage, and twice as much mustard as DOA. The black emporium DLC is pretty much a requirement so you can respec your character and your party members (like countless times to get everything right). Again, I think the reuse of dungeons and the lack of an immersive or expansive environment really detracts from this game, and I can get behind the grumblings where that is concerned, but I am really appalled by players saying this game is too easy or requires no strategy. This is about 66% harder than DOA on nightmare (although I did play DOA with the OP arcane warrior spec, so there's that to consider). For the half-men out there, goto the dragon age nexus website and download the mod that allows you to make nightmare difficulty setting easier but still play with Friendly Fire: without it the game is for preemies.…Expand

All I can say is - I played this for 3 hours - Stopped - and reloaded DA OneThe story might be great if I had continued with it..maybe, but the gameplay mechanic and combat is nerfed beyod recognition.Why? Bioware Why destroy the depth of a great game. You've been nerfing stuff since BG2 - what next? Pong? I fear for Star War the Old Republic - probably turn out with the gameplay depthAll I can say is - I played this for 3 hours - Stopped - and reloaded DA OneThe story might be great if I had continued with it..maybe, but the gameplay mechanic and combat is nerfed beyod recognition.Why? Bioware Why destroy the depth of a great game. You've been nerfing stuff since BG2 - what next? Pong? I fear for Star War the Old Republic - probably turn out with the gameplay depth of a spit puddle.…Expand

Dragon Age 2 is a great successor to the classic and a good candidate for a GOTY of 2011. Way better fighting system than bloaty and unintuitive Origins one make the gameplay so much more fun. Story is interesting and exciting, you grown really attached to the characters thorough the game. Voice acting on Hawke really puts life into him instead of being a marionette without feelings likeDragon Age 2 is a great successor to the classic and a good candidate for a GOTY of 2011. Way better fighting system than bloaty and unintuitive Origins one make the gameplay so much more fun. Story is interesting and exciting, you grown really attached to the characters thorough the game. Voice acting on Hawke really puts life into him instead of being a marionette without feelings like in the first game. Overall must have for all RPG fans.…Expand

many people already posted about everything what I wanted to say. I don't want to explain more. the game is the worst ever I have played such a big games in my life. graphic, junk console port, no details on PC setting, no movement with mouse and camera view, boring combat, terrible voice acting, many bugs.... it is too bad that Bioware ruined their reputation by itself.

I don't care what any Bioware employee posting on here says, if you want to capitalize and maximize your profit, then this does a good job of that. It does not do a good job at being the game everyone was expecting, it just doesn't. But whose fault is it anyway? YOURS, not the consumers, because the consumers didn't make the game. They buy, and they choose weather they want to buy it andI don't care what any Bioware employee posting on here says, if you want to capitalize and maximize your profit, then this does a good job of that. It does not do a good job at being the game everyone was expecting, it just doesn't. But whose fault is it anyway? YOURS, not the consumers, because the consumers didn't make the game. They buy, and they choose weather they want to buy it and play it or not. And if you think its "individual opinion" then take a look at all the negative reviews on here, I don't think it's individual anymore buddy. I thank those who lost their money to this game for warning others about it, it's consumer rights, and the consumer should be able to protect themselves form these kinds of scams, because it is their hard earned money. With that said, this game is bad. The graphics are terrible, low resolution, no color whatsoever. These graphics are like the kind you would find in Warcraft III (2002-03) and DX11 doesn't make a difference. Story is bad, no development, no character intros, doesn't make any sense, hard to follow, too many cut scenes with more of the same. Hack and slash...rinse, repeat. game ends. bad.Don't buy. And if you do you just wasted 40 bucks, and I am sorry, sucks for you.…Expand

Everyone needs to chill out and put things into perspective. I mean honestly, I enjoyed it more than the first one. Everyone is only really trashing this game because Bioware changed the formula from the first one.

This sequel I must admit was a big letdown they took what was a challenging strategic game for PC and dummed it down to a button mashing console game. The combat system in DA: O was a bit slow but turning every kill into a messy kill just makes it boring, every time I slice a group of foes in half with one swing I feel like pulling out my hair...aah! Nonetheless the narration has improvedThis sequel I must admit was a big letdown they took what was a challenging strategic game for PC and dummed it down to a button mashing console game. The combat system in DA: O was a bit slow but turning every kill into a messy kill just makes it boring, every time I slice a group of foes in half with one swing I feel like pulling out my hair...aah! Nonetheless the narration has improved though the story has suffered, regurgitating codex from the previous game no use reading them. I must say I was very disappointed with the leveling up too, who told them to dumb it down to attributes and abilities that clearly don't add anything as I can hack all foes to death with normal attacks. I must say that the graphics though are better and the narration actually gets you to like your character.I don't see myself playing it the 4 times I have played through DA: O( maybe one more play through is in order to remember a true masterclass).That said my only salvation is that the Witcher is coming out later this year I hope they don't disappoint…Expand

Rubbish total joke of a game..let down by so many flawed and broken elements...in the end i uninstalled this rubbish!...Now i have The Witcher 2 instead which is miles better and a true reflection of what RPG's should be!...do yourself a big favour and stay away from this pretend wanabe and get The Witcher 2 instead!!!.....

A step back in every respect from Origins, if you enjoyed Origins, don't expect to enjoy this, it caters for a low tier of gamers, one day DLC is another slap in the face from a money grabbing company.

Dragon Age 2 certainly is a step backwards for the series in a few respects, but at it's core it still provides an entertaining role playing experience. My biggest gripe with the game is the control. The right mouse button is both attack and camera control. Without the tactical camera of it's predecessor the camera needs to be constantly adjusted to get a good view of the battlefield,Dragon Age 2 certainly is a step backwards for the series in a few respects, but at it's core it still provides an entertaining role playing experience. My biggest gripe with the game is the control. The right mouse button is both attack and camera control. Without the tactical camera of it's predecessor the camera needs to be constantly adjusted to get a good view of the battlefield, and even then the camera moves on it's own whenever the characters do anything. This makes is quite difficult to target enemies in the heat of battle. The violence looks quite silly as the characters swing over sized weapons in quick exaggerated movements like an anime. The enemies just look slightly stunned every time they get hit until their HP reaches 0 and the pop like kind of meat balloons.

The characters and interaction however are one thing DA2 does right, and I feel it's the most important part of an RPG experience. The Dragon Age world is well fleshed out with enjoyable characters (Although some feel very familiar of previous Bioware games). I quite liked DA2's "over time" feel. The game takes place over a long period of time, and you can really feel the characters and world change.

Overall I feel that DA2 technically disappointed, but still entertained.…Expand

Faster combat. Decisions that could bite your ass in the long run. Top notch voice acting. Just like what Bioware did in the Mass Effect franchise, they improved every aspect of the game. People afraid of innovations should go live in a cave or fully embrace what Bioware did with this franchise. Dragon Age II is an instant classic.

I've waited for this game filled with hope that it will be at least as good as its excellent predecessor, but as soon as I've started it, quite honestly I was at a loss for words. I still am, but I will still write a couple of lines in hope to, if nothing else, feel better about buying it. Everything immediately felt wrong - the graphics looked weird - somehow improved, but also somehowI've waited for this game filled with hope that it will be at least as good as its excellent predecessor, but as soon as I've started it, quite honestly I was at a loss for words. I still am, but I will still write a couple of lines in hope to, if nothing else, feel better about buying it. Everything immediately felt wrong - the graphics looked weird - somehow improved, but also somehow completely off and worse (really cannot explain better), the controls clunky, camera erratic, combat system so wildly different to anything before, but after 10 hours of playtime still not getting any better or more familiar in my opinion. The story feels completely disconnected, I have yet to feel any kind of connection to the game, love for the characters or appeal for the storyline and so it goes on and on and on... Not a disaster if viewed without its predecessor in mind, but just a weird, unnecessary game.…Expand

Designed by focus group. By trying to appeal to as wide an audience as possible, Bioware has created game that never really develops it's own personality. Utterly forgettable, DA2 tries in vain to be darker, edgier and sexier, but only succeeds in trying too hard. The violence is bloody, the "sexiness" is a bit blatant and ham-handed, all the while giving the impression that behind theDesigned by focus group. By trying to appeal to as wide an audience as possible, Bioware has created game that never really develops it's own personality. Utterly forgettable, DA2 tries in vain to be darker, edgier and sexier, but only succeeds in trying too hard. The violence is bloody, the "sexiness" is a bit blatant and ham-handed, all the while giving the impression that behind the scenes is a 40-something game director saying "this is what the kids want, right?" Rather than focus on making a solid, entertaining game, Bioware tried to include all things for all gamers. They have created a game with something for everyone, but not enough for any one group to enjoy the experience.…Expand

Frankly, I am baffled by so many negative responses. With user score 4.3 the game has to be real crap. Surprisingly, it's not. I spent about 6 hours with it, and I must say Bioware made a good job. As I hoped, they managed to transfer a lot of Mass Effect 2 look and feel into the new Dragon Age game.

What I like most about ME2 and DA2 is that for the first time in many years Bioware isFrankly, I am baffled by so many negative responses. With user score 4.3 the game has to be real crap. Surprisingly, it's not. I spent about 6 hours with it, and I must say Bioware made a good job. As I hoped, they managed to transfer a lot of Mass Effect 2 look and feel into the new Dragon Age game.

What I like most about ME2 and DA2 is that for the first time in many years Bioware is doing something that feels fresh and new, and not yet another Baldur's Gate clone. Don't get me wrong, Baldur's Gate was great, probably the best thing that the company has ever done, and I immensely enjoyed it. Almost every game from Bioware after that tried and failed to live up to this high standard. It's time to move on. DA2 is an honest (and rather successful) attempt to do some change in the area.

Probably, other gamers are outraged by simplification, and there is indeed a lot of that. Personally, I think that it had to be done a long time ago. NWN2, for example, was a nighmare and completely unplayable because it was overloaded with all kind of junk that simply was no fun anymore: unwieldy inventory, complicated party control, monstrous class system, etc. DA2 makes an excellent job of cutting out everything that failed to work.

Now, dialogs. Maybe they are a bit oversimplfied, but defnitely an improvement. Don't get me started on dialogs in DA:O. They were horrible. The idea of "approval" ratings for party members was a distaster. To please everyone, your character had to be a real hypocritic bastard. The whole exprience was digusting, frustrating and boring. So good riddance. In DA2, it's "rivalry" vs. "friendship", which is much more fun, because both extremes have their advantages (similar to "paragon" and "renegate" in ME). Graphics. Ok, maybe it's not perfect. But "2003"? No way. I am running on "medium" detail level, cause my graphics card is not fast enough, and it looks great. Again, I see it as an improvement over DA:O, which didn't exactly work for me. I think in DA2 it's stylish and atmospheric. The city of Kirkwall is just beautiful. All races (dwarfs, elves) look definitely better. Darkspawn are scarier, etc. What else is needed?

To summarize, the game is a lot of fun. It's very well paced, packed with action, and there is much less boredom and pointless running around than it was in DA:O. Try it for yourself, if you haven't yet. However, keep in mind that the demo is real crap and doesn't give a good impression of the game.…Expand

Dragon Age 2 is a big letdown for all of us Origin fans but if we can forget about Origins for a second and compare it to other RPGs Dragon Age 2 is a pretty solid game. At first I was extremely disappointed in DA2 and pessimistic towards it but when I gave it a chance I found myself unable to stop playing it (Completing the game twice). Pros:Many people will probably disagree but I likeDragon Age 2 is a big letdown for all of us Origin fans but if we can forget about Origins for a second and compare it to other RPGs Dragon Age 2 is a pretty solid game. At first I was extremely disappointed in DA2 and pessimistic towards it but when I gave it a chance I found myself unable to stop playing it (Completing the game twice). Pros:Many people will probably disagree but I like DA2â…Expand

Bioware itself sets the bar for quality RPG, where the act out role was paramount. Now act out the role can not, in principle, the class character only changes the way of killing meat, not the sollution quests . ring of conversation way interactive system (hello Mass Effect) also does not help back the role. Since by the choice of possible answers, we only permit the tone of theBioware itself sets the bar for quality RPG, where the act out role was paramount. Now act out the role can not, in principle, the class character only changes the way of killing meat, not the sollution quests . ring of conversation way interactive system (hello Mass Effect) also does not help back the role. Since by the choice of possible answers, we only permit the tone of the conversation. (Good-neutral-evil). Sad to see how Bioware rejects all "unnecessary" gameplay elements to please a wide audience. Perhaps if the game was called Adventure not RPG, she would have received a much higher score. If only player would not be bored running around the monotonous dead locations.…Expand

go play the witcher 2, punish bioware for this nonsense. copy paste everywhere, flemmeth talking crap without sense, horrible graphics, boring characters, horrible dialog tree, everyone is bisexual? (doesnt make sense, no discrimination here) and forced cammeos of all the DAO characters! everything in one place Dragon Age "2"............

This is the worst game BioWare ever made. I think we have reached a new milestone in history where BioWare lends the crown of RPG to CD Projekt and The Witcher. The game just has no soul... it's not a bad game, but it's a game that really says nothing. I hope BioWare listens to their fans and go back to their roots (Baldur's Gate and KotOR).

This is for sure the disappointment of the year and the reason why BioWare should've never been sold to Electronic Arts. This "sequel" is worse than the original in almost everything, except textures and skill effects. The main plot is boring and has no sense, the combat is dumb and the Hawke has no charisma at all.

Reading some of the negative user reviews on meta-critic,I wonder if this is not just disbelief that Bioware would venture into a different direction. I personally have no objection for a company, entertainment or not trying new ideas. Dragon Age II is an experimental game. Yes, it does retain a quantum of Origins, however much of it's predecessor has been stripped away. What was strippedReading some of the negative user reviews on meta-critic,I wonder if this is not just disbelief that Bioware would venture into a different direction. I personally have no objection for a company, entertainment or not trying new ideas. Dragon Age II is an experimental game. Yes, it does retain a quantum of Origins, however much of it's predecessor has been stripped away. What was stripped away will definitely irk fans of the first. The inability to customize equipment for companions. The change in chat dialogue. The graphics, and faster combat pace. Lack of spell combination's. No death animations. Whatever one's reasons, surely you can find fault in this product. The glaring, yet easily fixable issues of this game, fall in the games mechanics specifically the A.I. Tank A.I is awful, you'll find yourself (no matter what difficulty) controlling the tank character. The character(s) will activate taunt when enemies are not present, and attempt to spam it's damage reduction moves constantly. Your companions hardly adhere to positional commands either. You'll find yourself using the hold position command, and manually controlling the party. Scripts, must be improved in future patches, if Bioware/EA wishes to sell future DLC's. The good in this game, is the storyline. The game engine runs smoothly on many systems as well. Bioware has always done a excellent job optimizing their products. The characters are believable, yet may or may not hold the same charm as the first games'. The voice acting for the main is exceptional, both male and female. The voice acting in general is very good. The combat can get frustrating, but it retains the "joy" which Origins brought. The skill system is much improved, they condensed it but hardly loses any of it's flare. You'll just have to evaluate this title for what it is: A Different Approach.…Expand

Do not pre-order anymore Bioware Games, I repeat, do not pre-order. Next, look at the gaming sites that advertise Bioware titles, you will notice they are also the ones that tend to satirize a bad game, ie Penny Arcade. Frankly, its a good thing Bioware worked with Penny Arcade before the game was released, because I have a feeling the guys at Penny Arcade would skewer the game.

TheDo not pre-order anymore Bioware Games, I repeat, do not pre-order. Next, look at the gaming sites that advertise Bioware titles, you will notice they are also the ones that tend to satirize a bad game, ie Penny Arcade. Frankly, its a good thing Bioware worked with Penny Arcade before the game was released, because I have a feeling the guys at Penny Arcade would skewer the game.

The problem I have is I don't think they actually play tested the game at all. Play on Nightmare mode as a mage and then try to get through intro, try it just try it. They've nerfed healing to the point where its Fecking useless. They put in a cool down on healing potions so can't use them when you need to use them now there is a shared timer. The AI is horrible, you turn off tactics and your fecking tanks run out of cover to get hit by crossbowmen.

I truly hate Bioware now for this game. The positive non game player reviews of this game is crap, they damn well aren't from fans. If I have anything to tell Bioware it is this:

1st) Fix TACTICS, give a switch to turn it OFF or ON without having to individually turn off a tactic per player2nd) When I don't give a character an order, they should damn well stay put and not rush into a fire of ranged fire3rd) Give me the DLC that I paid for at the beginning of the game, don't make me run all over the place trying to find it4th) Do actual play testing. I am your market, you took a fan boy who buys all of your products and turned him into someone who will NEVER PREORDER FROM BIOWARE AGAIN IN ONE GAME. Did you actually have people play the intro and see what they thought5th) Play test all of the difficulty levels ALL. Nightmare should be beatable by someone who is highly familiar with Bioware and understand the basics, but OH F no, you guys couldn't do that could you.

You get a 0 from me on this game. Read the reviews here from other posters and release a patch to fix the troubles or you are going to have an Elemental on your hands and destroy your Brand Name.…Expand

I enjoyed a lot of what this game changed. Unlike many, I enjoyed the change to the battle system, and I think that the battle system has been improved and streamlined from the first game. I am ambivalent about not being able to change anyone's armor but the main character, but I can live with that. I enjoy customizing my entire party, however, there is a different kind of enjoyment thatI enjoyed a lot of what this game changed. Unlike many, I enjoyed the change to the battle system, and I think that the battle system has been improved and streamlined from the first game. I am ambivalent about not being able to change anyone's armor but the main character, but I can live with that. I enjoy customizing my entire party, however, there is a different kind of enjoyment that can come from not having to worry about your companions gear very much(especially when half of them are very rarely used). I did not enjoy the fact that certain characters were essentially mandatory for much of the game if you did not pick a mage due to the fact that there is only one real healer in the game. I thought the story was decent. It was not the epic that DA:O was, but it was still interesting to see how one person inadvertently caused a chain reaction. There are three things that I really do not like about this game. 1. DA:O took me roughly 80 hours to finish and do everything there was to do in the game. This game took me roughly 25 hours to do the same. 2. This game uses recycled areas for the entire game. In all of the Acts of this game, you will be revisiting areas that you have already been to over and over and over again. This is probably my biggest gripe of the game. 3. There are too few references to the characters and events of DA:O. As a sequel, and specifically, as a Bioware sequel, I expected to have more appearances from characters of the first game. Also, when characters from the first game do appear, I felt unsatisfied. It seems that they put the characters in the game just to have an appearance rather than actually weaving them into the story of the game. That said, I initially greatly enjoyed this game. It is not a perfect game, but it is still fun.…Expand

With DA: Origins BioWare captured a tiny bit of the magic they used to have in their heyday with the likes of Baldurs Gate 2 and KOTOR, and in my opinion that strategic, tactical "thinking" gameplay felt like a step in the right direction, particularly the PC version with its overhead distant perspective allowing us to get a good view of the battlefield. However this game just feels soWith DA: Origins BioWare captured a tiny bit of the magic they used to have in their heyday with the likes of Baldurs Gate 2 and KOTOR, and in my opinion that strategic, tactical "thinking" gameplay felt like a step in the right direction, particularly the PC version with its overhead distant perspective allowing us to get a good view of the battlefield. However this game just feels so watered down and casualised its just lost all of that past BioWare magic. I felt the same about Mass Effect 2 also, which seemed dumbed down and more about mindless action. So if anyone else out there reading this felt the same about that game, then trust me, DA2 will disappoint you too.…Expand

Dragon Age II is one step forward and three steps back compared to the previous game. On the one hand, you have a solid (if very linear) story, well made graphics and ... well those are the only positives I can really give. The interface has been simplified, lacks any of the nice design and art of the first game, the characters are mostly flat and dull, areas much smaller, interaction withDragon Age II is one step forward and three steps back compared to the previous game. On the one hand, you have a solid (if very linear) story, well made graphics and ... well those are the only positives I can really give. The interface has been simplified, lacks any of the nice design and art of the first game, the characters are mostly flat and dull, areas much smaller, interaction with the world has been severely limited, the combat has less tactics and is more scripted not to mention the game is far too easy on normal and you basically end up spamming every ability and spell while making sure no-one croaks. Do that, and you can easily survive in "hard" mode. Sorry, but that's not how RPGs are supposed to work. On top of that, the game makes so many more mistakes - no free-roaming camera to oversee battles, no way to gear up your team mates or swap gear (meaning every piece of armour or ring you pick up, you have to wear), dialog has become ridiculously simple with the dialog choices having virtually no impact. This is essentially Mass Effect: Fantasy Edition - taking all the stuff that made Mass Effect 2 less fun than the first Mass Effect and jamming it into a game which sold millions and was loved by many.…Collapse

I have put in a little over a dozen hours on Dragon Age 2, and overall I would say it is a solid RPG with an excellent narrative that should be given credit for what it is--a great story of a refugee of Ferelden and his rise to become something more. If DA2 is to be compared to any other game it should be Dragon Age: Origins, and as such any comparisons are between these two titles.

TheI have put in a little over a dozen hours on Dragon Age 2, and overall I would say it is a solid RPG with an excellent narrative that should be given credit for what it is--a great story of a refugee of Ferelden and his rise to become something more. If DA2 is to be compared to any other game it should be Dragon Age: Origins, and as such any comparisons are between these two titles.

The story itself is not the expansive storyline veterans might have been expecting, but is rather a much more tailored storyline following a member of the Hawke family. The story, which of a different scope, is just as richly detailed as DA:O and is easier for the player to navigate thanks to the improved dialogue system. There are also far more sidequests available than in Origins, which more often than not leads to more character depth for the NPCs than before.

The talent trees have been drastically changed, and it is purely a matter of preference if this is for the better or the worse. Personally, I like the less linear progression and the concept of upgrades, but I am frustrated by the very large number of potential choices compared to the realistic number of points available to spend during the course of a play through.

The inventory and crafting systems have been streamlined as well. Crafting is far simpler; now it is just a matter of finding a source of crafting materials and vendors allow you to do the rest. Inventory has made two notable changes. Firstly, there has been the implementation of a "star" system for items to indicate their relative usefulness for characters (mostly useless for veterans of RPGs). Secondly, you are no longer able to equip armor on your companions as they have their own unique armor that you can find upgrades for. While this is a fun concept, it is also incredibly frustrating because it leads to a large number of armor pieces that you are forced to sell because they are not for Hawke's class. Seems rather a heavy-handed way of getting players to play through the game multiple times (if they want to see all the different armors), but it just as well might have been an unthought-of side effect to the upgradeable companion armors.

Certainly the single most damaging thing to DA2 is dungeon areas being recycled throughout the course of the game. When so much of the rest of the game shines, this is really just a glaring weakness. It might have been less obvious even if the map for the area was not the exact same with a few "doors" simply ones that you are unable to open. Misleading and frustrating as--for me--it really distracted from what has otherwise been a rather enjoyable experience.…Expand

mass effect with swords. the game is so horrid its not even worth my time to write a review about it.

I don't believe anyone could give this game a good score. I'm thinking, the reviewing sites (gamespot etc) are scared bioware won't give them any more interviews, which is why they gave it an 8, instead of a deserved 3 or 4.
the game is not dragon age 2, simple as that. if you want tomass effect with swords. the game is so horrid its not even worth my time to write a review about it.

I don't believe anyone could give this game a good score. I'm thinking, the reviewing sites (gamespot etc) are scared bioware won't give them any more interviews, which is why they gave it an 8, instead of a deserved 3 or 4.

the game is not dragon age 2, simple as that. if you want to make another mass effect, use a different franchise name, instead of insulting dragon age fans.…Expand

Honestly, Dragon Age 2 is a significant improvement over Origins. Faster combat animations have been implemented while keeping the system largely the sameThe graphics look better both technically and artistically, and there are no more ugly brown environments-Player character is actually voiced this time, so no more silent awkward animations while talking
-RPG interfaces have beenHonestly, Dragon Age 2 is a significant improvement over Origins. Faster combat animations have been implemented while keeping the system largely the sameThe graphics look better both technically and artistically, and there are no more ugly brown environments-Player character is actually voiced this time, so no more silent awkward animations while talking-RPG interfaces have been redesigned to be more balanced and easier to access and manageThe story is told in a unique way, and really draws you inAnd the companions are far more diversified rather than just stereotypical princes, dwarves, witches, etc.

Everything is improved aside from the fact that the game largely takes place in the city and the Elves facial design look somewhat weird. I don't understand why some people hate the game for the small changes that took place. Just give the game a try and soon you'll be caught up in its universe.…Expand

Utterly disappointing. I've been a Bioware fan since the first Baldur's Gate and I can't believe what they did to Dragon Age 2. What were they thinking? Maybe they were blinded by the buzz of how Mass Effect 2 was received and decided to implement a same kind of system to DA2, who knows?

I loved the DA: Origins, it essentially resurrected the classic computer rpg genre for me. I evenUtterly disappointing. I've been a Bioware fan since the first Baldur's Gate and I can't believe what they did to Dragon Age 2. What were they thinking? Maybe they were blinded by the buzz of how Mass Effect 2 was received and decided to implement a same kind of system to DA2, who knows?

I loved the DA: Origins, it essentially resurrected the classic computer rpg genre for me. I even welcomed the few compromises for the console versions in the Origins, because despite those alterations it was still basically the same game we all know and love.

Unfortunately, in Dragon Age 2 they took it all away and created a some kind of deformed monstrosity of a dumbed down hack'n slash action game with adhd-button-mashing-orgy of a combat. No space for tactics or strategies, and the teammates' AI is retarded. Even the abilities/talents system was simplified and aside from few exceptions, worse than in the Origins. To give the game some slack, I won't even go to the graphics thing (which was later remedied a tiny bit by the high-resolution texture pack, at least for PC). The only good thing is the storytelling part (which has always been Bioware's strong suit), and even the story lacks in some parts.

I honestly can not recommend buying this game for any reason, except if you're so into the story or settings that you think you can bear with the game to the end. I could barely finish the demo when I first played it. I'm so sorry Bioware, but this time, you screwed up. What happened?…Expand

The way Bioware changed this franchise from DA:O is devastating. I mean seriously, no isometric view? Are you serious? Plus the camera controls and overall camera is just horrible. The mediocre gameplay experience is nowhere satisfying and if I want to just concentrate on dating sims I'd play a game that's genuine dating sim. (Oh, and FYI the graphics were terrible too.)

While it is nice to have fully voiced responses, this game is annoying and boring. You basically run the same dungeons over and over again, except sometimes its "1 year later" which doesn't mean anything in the great scheme of things. The city you start in, while impressive at first, is the only place you ever really go, you will spend your entire gaming experience in this city, meaningWhile it is nice to have fully voiced responses, this game is annoying and boring. You basically run the same dungeons over and over again, except sometimes its "1 year later" which doesn't mean anything in the great scheme of things. The city you start in, while impressive at first, is the only place you ever really go, you will spend your entire gaming experience in this city, meaning about 40 hours in the exact same crappy place. Gone is the wonder of going new places and meeting new people from Dragon Age Origins, now your basically restricted to 2 dungeons and a city over and over and over again...…Expand

Console port FTL. Simplified and dumb down. What happened to the Bioware of the Baldur's Gate era? Let down and disappointed Bioware of that past is no more and is now fixated and focused on the consoles. This game feels like a punch to the face of dedicated and loyal PC Gamers. Was a sequel even needed or necessary? Should have left Dragon Age with just Origins, as Origins is farConsole port FTL. Simplified and dumb down. What happened to the Bioware of the Baldur's Gate era? Let down and disappointed Bioware of that past is no more and is now fixated and focused on the consoles. This game feels like a punch to the face of dedicated and loyal PC Gamers. Was a sequel even needed or necessary? Should have left Dragon Age with just Origins, as Origins is far superior in terms of gameplay and enjoyable.…Expand

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view.
So, it takes 14 hours to get past the first 4 years of game play and during that time you're just hoping the game gets better from then on. Nope, the game stays at the same level of tediousness and is painful to complete. The ending doesn't even feel like an ending. When the credits started rolling I just wanted to throw something. Final verdict: painful waste of $60.…Expand

This game takes away many of the components that made Dragon Age Origins' such a compelling RPG. The gameplay and story have all been turned inside-out.

The combat has been dumb downed in a way that strategy is not much of a requirement anymore to go through many of the game's battles. I've not found a need to even touch the TACTICS system of the game, even on hard, and possiblyThis game takes away many of the components that made Dragon Age Origins' such a compelling RPG. The gameplay and story have all been turned inside-out.

The combat has been dumb downed in a way that strategy is not much of a requirement anymore to go through many of the game's battles. I've not found a need to even touch the TACTICS system of the game, even on hard, and possibly nightmare. It's mostly just pressing the "R" key, watch pretty visuals and see things blow up. Instead of the strategic element we are so familiar with, Bioware gives us a much more fast-paced and more fluid, action-oriented fights that last much shorter than Origins'. This is still no saving grace to the brainless combat that Bioware thought would be a better alternative.

The story is where things really start taking a toll for the worse. Origins' had such a compelling story. You travel around Fereldan recruiting and getting aid from different armies to stop an incoming blight. In this game, you go around doing chores for people in the city. A step downwards, considering it was made by Bioware, the same company that brought us classics like Baldur's Gate and Mass Effect. Shame on you, Bioware. It's a decent game at best. There's no real thought needed in this game, but it's fast-paced combat could interest newer players for awhile.…Expand

Bought the game on release day before reading any reviews, installed it but not even entered kirkwall after reading the user reviews. The massive changes in the game and the negative reactions to it left no enthusiams in me and made me stay away of it. The only advise I can give: Don't read any reviews after you bought a game.

Dragon Age: Origins was one of the best RPG games I have played so far and I really loved it.

But this, so called "sequel" was such a disappointment and it had nothing to do with Origins.
I have a very hard time understanding why on earth would Bioware let this game come out when it wasn't even done.
The game is full of bugs, very bad graphics, bad story, very short gameplay for being aDragon Age: Origins was one of the best RPG games I have played so far and I really loved it.

But this, so called "sequel" was such a disappointment and it had nothing to do with Origins.

I have a very hard time understanding why on earth would Bioware let this game come out when it wasn't even done.

The game is full of bugs, very bad graphics, bad story, very short gameplay for being a RPG game.

I only recommend getting this game when its less expensive. I paid 50 bucks for a half @ssed game.

Saying this game is bad would be generally unfair. Bioware's biggest mistake in this case wasn't the game not being a true sequel but being advertised as such even though it is realistically a separate game. Think of Icewind Dale and Baldur's Gate both playing in Forgotten Realms but being two separate story-lines where the events of one may be referred to in another. It's title shouldSaying this game is bad would be generally unfair. Bioware's biggest mistake in this case wasn't the game not being a true sequel but being advertised as such even though it is realistically a separate game. Think of Icewind Dale and Baldur's Gate both playing in Forgotten Realms but being two separate story-lines where the events of one may be referred to in another. It's title should have been Dragon Age: The Kirkwall Chronicles. Story-wise I do have mixed feelings. I am not happy about the lack of alternative storyline aspects but the few being there are still entertaining enough to keep a player happy for a while. Companions still have their own personalities and your personality being a lot less mute than in the original Dragon Age titles certainly helps to blend in. On dialogue side the game presents you with a classical Mass Effect style wheel giving you options for certain type of straight answer or investigative questions - but unlike in Mass Effect series the obvious outcome is not always that clear and not always wholly different for the entire dialogue regardless of which conversation path you chose.

Sadly the exploration side got a bit of a short straw, it is still there but due to lack of big locations quite limited. It seems a bit symptomatic for recent Bioware games: Exploration getting steadily removed from games altogether. However as saving grace it should be noted that the game allows you to progress in the main plot at your own terms without too much prescribed linearity.

The combat system got a major overhaul but while it can be challenging on its own terms especially on higher difficulty modes. Its shortcomings are minor compared to the original Dragon Age title, in this case the lack of tactical camera, enemies coming from thin air and Nightmare involving some several issues making making it favour single target ranged combat should be noted. I believe the latter will be addressed by Bioware soon. Talent trees got improved a lot and leave a lot of room for experimentation and replay. Personally I found the issue of fixed but upgradeable companion armor quite an interesting idea. It would have been better though if upgrades would allow more flexibility.

The old crafting system got replaced by a less hunter-gathering aspect but more one which people who played Mass Effect 2 are familiar with. Instead of gathering the resources into your backpack you are now mostly out for finding resource locations you'll have to tag/unlock depending on the locations you are visiting. The more resource locations you find the higher classes of runes, potions and poisons you can craft. Crafting also isn't done in the same spot but done at certain shop-like locations. While this hurts any fan of the classical gathering & crafting game I feel the old system did not actually limit you aside from backpack size whereas the new one obviously uses your cash as limiter. In the end I personally liked the old system more but to be fair the new system is achieving the same results in the end without forcing the player to reserve a large part of his backpack for resources and materials.

Graphically it's looks are stunningly good even though it does lack the deliberately dark look of its predecessor title. Animations are well-down although the game overdoes a lot on the explosions side making it unnecessarily messy-looking when there is no reason for it. I do miss effects on weapons from runes and the lack of a bit more beautiful inventory graphics. The game's locations are well done although a lot of quests do lead to several previously locations. This does lead to a certain level of repetition but amusingly also to a lot of familiarity. The game however does a good job in keeping Kirkwall more than just one town although its lack of aging, progression and liveliness as the story goes on does make the town feel static and lacking the realistic feel of years spent within it. The whole story could be in fact one of a single 24 hrs. day when taking the persistent looks of the town's scenery into account.

The GUI has been overhauled quite well and it's quite intuitive from the get-go. Nothing more to add this one is done well.

What needs to be left noted is the relative subtlety of game's score, even though the score is quite excellent it does lack the certain epic factor which the original title was known for. Otherwise the atmosphere, combat and ambient are in parts a lot better done than in the original titles.

In conclusion I think it is worth buy if you see it as a game within the Dragon Age universe or setting. If you are truly seeing a linear successor to the original Dragon Age titles you might not like it. It certainly does come with a lot improvements of its own but also another set of issues left to be addressed in another possible upcoming Dragon Age title. Perhaps both titles will give Bioware sufficient amount of material to find the real alchemy for an ultimate Dragon Age game.…Expand

While I would like to create a long, fully elaborated review on the game to explain the core features and everything in depth, I honestly cannot, as the game is without much merit whatsoever.The combat took a system which felt unrefined in DA:O and rather that improving it and making it better, just completely ruined it to make a system without thought or challenge. Unless you're on hardWhile I would like to create a long, fully elaborated review on the game to explain the core features and everything in depth, I honestly cannot, as the game is without much merit whatsoever.The combat took a system which felt unrefined in DA:O and rather that improving it and making it better, just completely ruined it to make a system without thought or challenge. Unless you're on hard mode, there is nothing to discuss as far as combat goes, you may as well be watching a film.For which matter, the story is far, far below Bioware's standards. Ploddingly written with a conversation wheel that not only dumbs down decisions to their smallest parts with "GOOD BAD SILLY"~esque replies, but are poorly written as they are. Voice acting is a nice touch, however, though it's frequently done without emotion. I'd like to write more on the game, but after a mere few hours with it I honestly have no drive to play it any more. That didn't happen until Orzammar with DA:O.Graphics are an utter trainwreck. I'm not even going to go into this. Game outright bugs out, runs horribly or doesn't run at all, despite looking awful WITH an optional HD fix. Utterly pathetic showing on PC.If you want the game, do not buy it now. Wait for a sale or a GOTY version with a reduced pricetag. Putting out a game that's blatantly this unfinished and rushed in a year that has many, many blockbuster titles that look stellar is quite frankly a ludicrious move, and Bioware have proven in the past that they are better than this tripe.…Expand

The game has been good but i didn't kept me playing to finish. The storyline presentation just felt so flat I didn't feel adventuring but rather like an outsider. There are several plot that has its potential but during the transition between plots, there are dialogues took place, and these dialogues felt quite out of place with the continuing event. This comment is, perhaps, aThe game has been good but i didn't kept me playing to finish. The storyline presentation just felt so flat I didn't feel adventuring but rather like an outsider. There are several plot that has its potential but during the transition between plots, there are dialogues took place, and these dialogues felt quite out of place with the continuing event. This comment is, perhaps, a consequences of no continuing event in Dragon Age II. The story of Dragon Age II is more of a collection of events that happened in someone life. Stories are branch-driven (with follow-up quest), and each branch rarely in connection to another. There's also missing a climax in the plot, like a line measuring from start to finish, it didn't flow as good as it should. One brilliant idea, I think, is using varric re-telling of the story to advance the plot.

I think the game did not introduce the characters properly, and the result of that is a cast of unmemorable characters. I remember Alistair and Morrigan, their behavior, their thoughts and association and I don't think I can pinpoint any specific traits that recognized a person in Dragon Age II, other than stereotyping. Dialogue between characters feel a little bit old. Some of them are funny, but some of them are also repeated sarcastic remarks. I thinks it's better to gave out a little memorable story rather than arguing.

For several moment i felt slightly tired to play through because there are so many unrelated events and they are quest driven rather than goal driven. I think generating motivation is important, especially one that born from the beginning of the story that's end at the final mission. Motivation, in turns generate enthusiasm and energy to play. The lack of that in Dragon Age II is like playing the Sims 3, jumping from one sim to another and then nothing.

I read many negative comment about the combat system, but really I didn't felt a thing in that regard. However, I found it pointless to play as a mage without the spell combination in the first game. The graphic change so much it felt strange at times.

The game felt like a prologue with a concluded event that will be carry on to the next game. The game itself managed to be interesting and funny at times. However, it doesn't feel epic or story-wise rewarding.…Expand

Dragon Age 2 was destined for division among its fan base since it was first revealed to the gamer community. Many people complain that the game has been dumbed down and that it was stripped of its personality. Having beaten the game, I can't help but wonder if any of these negative reviewers actually played more than the first act. Lets start with the story. DA:O's story felt like aDragon Age 2 was destined for division among its fan base since it was first revealed to the gamer community. Many people complain that the game has been dumbed down and that it was stripped of its personality. Having beaten the game, I can't help but wonder if any of these negative reviewers actually played more than the first act. Lets start with the story. DA:O's story felt like a template made from every other Bioware game ever, you're a hero, gather allies, go kill this, DA2 took a different approach and never shows you the whole conflict until the end, instead choosing to hint at the epic battle to come. I found it easy to step into the shoes of Hawke, who made me feel like a unique and powerful character. While Hawke can only be an human, you can still change his/her appearance and his/her story feels more developed than the seven origins in DA:O.which changed nothing except for a few cameos throughout the game. Combat has vastly evolved, Bioware chose to make combat more stylish and fun to watch. Warriors no longer run like they have lead weights for feet, and mages don't prod uselessly with one recycled staff animation. Your new companions are better developed then Origins' as well. Origins feature the standard stoic knight, the standard evil sorceress, and the standard elderly wizard, ect. DA2 developed characters that I connected with, that I learned to love or hate, or feel sorry for. The moral choices you make in the game are no easier than they were in Origins, just better organized. The wheel doesn't dictate the morality of your choice, just the stance Hawke will take. For example the top right option is usually friendly, but being friendly with a blood mage isn't always a good thing. Finally, Kirkwall proved to be a far more dynamic setting than DA:O. Kirkwall is much larger than Origins Denerim, and it has much more personality. Kirkwall is a sin city of crime and corruption, and it makes for some interesting encounters.

However, DA2 does have obvious faults that make me feel like it was a little bit rushed. Dungeons and caves are often copy pasted for other quests. So when you've seen one underground cave, you've seen them all.There is also no longer a speech or intimidation skill, so some sticky situations can only be resolved if you say the right things and get lucky. The graphics are still substandard to many other titles on the market, but no one seemed to care when Origins came out, so I'm confused why everyone cares now. The top down view has also been removed from the game, which may bother some (myself not included) but fortunately the designers retained the tactical pause function. Also some of the violence in the game can be over the top, which sometimes made the game feel silly instead of dark and moody. Enemies exploding from a dagger strike may be a little much for realism fans.

Overall, Dragon Age 2 is a step in a different direction, but I think its the right direction. DA2 isn't simplified, just streamlined and more focused then before. Fans waiting for Baldur's Gate 3 will be disappointed that this franchise isn't the game they were waiting for, but that shouldn't take away from what DA2 does well. Despite some rushed design, I enjoyed DA2 more than I did DA:O. If your willing to look past some of the flaws, then maybe you will to.…Expand

Were all the critics bribed? how is this game managing to get such a high critic rating!? this is a terrible game, awful graphics & rubbish story held together with average gameplay. Avoid at all costs, I wish I had...

Disappointing. The great writing is there as you would expect, and the interaction between your character and your companions is still great, but there are some glaring problems with Dragon Age 2 that Origins didn't have. Combat is just terrible. Enemies pop out of nowhere in waves. The game itself says you should guard choke points with warrior classes to protect others, but thenDisappointing. The great writing is there as you would expect, and the interaction between your character and your companions is still great, but there are some glaring problems with Dragon Age 2 that Origins didn't have. Combat is just terrible. Enemies pop out of nowhere in waves. The game itself says you should guard choke points with warrior classes to protect others, but then continually spawns mobs both in front of and behind the party as the waves progress, meaning that tactics generally go out the window. Long cooldowns on many abilities mean that combat tends to focus on regular hack and slash rather than use of abilities. Companions can only use non-armour equipment, which means the majority of the items you find are useless.

I suppose the best way to describe what I thought about this game is this: In Origins I played it through multiple times with different races and classes to see all the areas and uncover different stories. It was a pleasure to play through. Dragon Age 2 I will only play through once (barring a bout of amnesia) and as I was going through it felt like work; just trying to advance the story to find out what happens next, because you're always in the same damned areas you've been in the rest of the game and there's nothing new to keep you interested.

Bottom line: Dialogue good, game design bad. Might as well have been a book.…Expand

Problems with Bioware turning into a pretty shady company aside, I can't believe they thought this would pass as a real sequel. There is no main plot, you're playing a tactical rpg that's mostly in a city, and the reinforcements thing is just retarded. Your party members are still a hoot and the gameplay isn't awful tuned like this, but they needed more than 18 months to make it amazing.Problems with Bioware turning into a pretty shady company aside, I can't believe they thought this would pass as a real sequel. There is no main plot, you're playing a tactical rpg that's mostly in a city, and the reinforcements thing is just retarded. Your party members are still a hoot and the gameplay isn't awful tuned like this, but they needed more than 18 months to make it amazing. Oh and it looks worse than Dragon Age: Origins, and even sadder is the HD graphics mod that isn't from Bioware doesn't even make it look better. I guess the company that made Baldurs Gate and Mass Effect is long gone; hope Mass Effect 3 isn't crap like this.…Expand

DA2 fixes a lot of annoyances in DA:O, but seems a bit unfocused. The talk about the game being dumbed down is mind-boggling to say the least. I have been playing DA2 on hard difficulty and random bandits and mean templars are feeding me my own shield while in DA:O I rarely died or had any difficulties. You can make some good skill and ability combos and positioning of your team is the keyDA2 fixes a lot of annoyances in DA:O, but seems a bit unfocused. The talk about the game being dumbed down is mind-boggling to say the least. I have been playing DA2 on hard difficulty and random bandits and mean templars are feeding me my own shield while in DA:O I rarely died or had any difficulties. You can make some good skill and ability combos and positioning of your team is the key to victory.

It takes more time to get to know the new companions, but they're all interesting and will make you interested in them. For the first time it has been difficult for me to choose which companions I want to bring with me, I never had such problem in ME games or DA:O. Also the other NPCs in the world seem to have real personalities, but you don't usually get to know them too well.

Choices matter more than in DA:O and you have more options even in regular conversations. The way you talk to people defines your personality in the later game and you can even choose to let your companions to do the talking for you in some situations. Quests are plentiful, but the side quests can too easily distract you from the main story, just because there is a crap load of them. That can also be a good thing for you, but it is a matter of opinion.

I will be updating this review as I get further into the game and get to know the story more, but so far it has convinced me of that the average joe flaming the game either had some very unrealistic expectations or haven't played the finished game.…Expand

Just dire. Did not think BioWare could make games this bad. Is it the EA effect? This is neither a proper action game nor a proper RPG - it's some mutant ugly hybrid trying to appeal to both types of gamer, and failing. And a cliffhanger ending? So much for epic story - just an ad for some DLC or DA3. The graphics are worse than Dragon Age 1, like some 2005 console port. The combat is justJust dire. Did not think BioWare could make games this bad. Is it the EA effect? This is neither a proper action game nor a proper RPG - it's some mutant ugly hybrid trying to appeal to both types of gamer, and failing. And a cliffhanger ending? So much for epic story - just an ad for some DLC or DA3. The graphics are worse than Dragon Age 1, like some 2005 console port. The combat is just a button mashing cartoon, dumbed down from DA1. LOTS of things have been cut. It's short - like 12 hours for the main campaign. The characters you meet feel lifeless, and the same scenery is recycled. To hide this, BioWare stuck in lots of bink cinematics and sex scenes. Get ready to be fleeced with tons of DLC now that will raise the cost of this disgusting trainwreck to over $100. Last BioWare game I buy â…Expand

Although it went away from a hardcore RPG to a more action oriented combat I still find it fun to play and quite addictive (not as much as DA:O). It would be a 9 if it wasn't for the repetitive scenarios. In my opinion, a different game but still a good one.

The simple truth is that this game is not up to par with what I have come to expect from Bioware. The game is not terrible, but it is not great by any means. The Graphics are very good, and the animations are much more fast paced than origins, however I dont care. I dont buy RPG games for thier High end graphics engines and expansively voiced cutscenes (which the game delivers) I buy themThe simple truth is that this game is not up to par with what I have come to expect from Bioware. The game is not terrible, but it is not great by any means. The Graphics are very good, and the animations are much more fast paced than origins, however I dont care. I dont buy RPG games for thier High end graphics engines and expansively voiced cutscenes (which the game delivers) I buy them for an engrossing story arc, which, while not terrible, is not as well written or epic as previous Bioware titles. The lack of an overhead view is not a game-killer, but would have still been nice to have, and the camera controls take a while to get used to, multiple camera modes would have been better. The thing that bothers me most, is the cut down inventory mangement, as due to the way companions are designed, I basically end up with three choices for most pices of equipment, 1. Wear it 2. Sell it 3.carry it around forever. The environmental reuse is quite obvious. they didnt even reconfigure the one cave template they had for most cave areas, I get that they did it to save time, but how hard would it have been to make it a different shape using the same art pieces. Ok so enough of the bad, here are the games actual redeeming qualities: Combat is done really well, it is fast paced, fluid and farily enjoyable. The leveling system is much better than origins, with a much more clear and customizable approach to picking abilities and specializations.In summation, while the game is not aweful, its not up to par for Bioware, and I wouldnt consider it up to par for a AAA title.…Expand

bioware...we should give bioware a viking funeral after this abomination.
If you are new to the Dragon Age series? maybe you'll enjoy it. If you are fan of the first one? well prepared to be disapointed-extremely. I still play the first one-to this day. Why do i say this? well let's go through some things...
1) it has been completely and utterly dumbed down-yeah...it has. In thebioware...we should give bioware a viking funeral after this abomination.
If you are new to the Dragon Age series? maybe you'll enjoy it. If you are fan of the first one? well prepared to be disapointed-extremely. I still play the first one-to this day. Why do i say this? well let's go through some things...
1) it has been completely and utterly dumbed down-yeah...it has. In the first one, you were completely in charge of what your companions wore, what weapons, etc. In this one? like in mass effect 2? no dice. You get what's called "armor upgrades" for your companions. I used to spend countless hours, just figuring out what armor worked and what didnt, what weapons worked and what didn't. this one? they just want you to keep going. sure you can change what you wear-to an extent. 2)the combat gets utterly repetitive and boring-combat is just that-it's repetitive and boring. don't get me wrong, some of the animations are pretty neat, but they opted the more realistic slow paced combat that was in the first one-which was still and is awesome-to a fast pace get it over with get it done battle, in which you just fight waves upon waves upon waves of enemies until they are dead. 3)copy and paste graphics-there are points after you go through your first dungeon or two you start to notice that things are starting to look the same. yes they do. because they just copied and pasted the effin textures.
4)location-in dragon age one you had a bunch of places to visit, you could get ambushed on the road..this game goes between two phases-night and day..day time there are certain missions, night time there are certain missions..and get this? 3 areas..there's the city of kirkwall, theres outside the city and well i guess 2. the city and outside. the city doesnt even look like a city if you compare it to denerim in the first one.
5)graphics-the darkspawn in the first one looked awesome and realistic-to me anyway. i remember several times in Dragon Age Orgins approaching a bridge and there in front of me stood several darkspawn waiting for my blade. the ones in this? it looks like its a really late ps2 game. 6)sounds-if you play nights of the old republic, not only is the graphics engine the same one from this game but it has the same sound effects minus the lasers..
what's good about it?-i don't know anymore..i can't really think of anything..EA destroyed the dragon age franchise with this one. I still play the first dragon age but i have not been able to get myself to install this game since i beat it last year.

so whats my conclusion-its nothing even compared to the first dragon age. it is dumbed down to try and make rpg games like this more mainstream. I think that bioware selling out to EA pretty much wrote their death certificate. I will never..ever purchase another ea game again.thank you…Expand

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view.
1st I would like to say to everybody sorry for my spelling im from KY :( 2nd to those who gave the game a low review are you sure we are playing the same game? Graphics look amazing, (DX11 FTW) not only is combat auctly fun, its a challenge (on hard setting ofcourse, only noobs play on normal or easy), while the story is nowhere as good as DA:O, Its still very nice and engaging, I played a mage, let me tell you, I hate templars even more. I could see how if you didn't play a mage in DA:O, and especally in DA2 you might not get the same experience I did. In DA:O there were times where the story was very stale, coupled with the fact it was walk walk walk, dialoge, walk walk walk, dialoge. DA2 is more like Mass Effect 2 where interactions are Directed, and auctly have production value, not just people facing each other with blank stares talking. Everybody who gave it a bad review did so because its not what they wanted, Classic Bioware, not because the game is a bad game. Anybody who says the graphics are bad, they are nutz, it looks 10x better the the 1st one, and about 3x better the ME2. Granted im using DX11, max settings, with the Hi Res pack. My only complaint is the inventory, Mass Effect 2 has more options in armor. 5billion Bow drop, yet nobody is an archer, excpet the DLC guy, which you don't get in the 1st act, staffs NEVER drop, and you can only change your party members Weapons, Belt, Kneckless, and Rings. (which SUUUUUUUUXXXX). In conclusion it seems like DA:O and ME2 got togeather and had a baby named DA2. Granted its not Biowares best work by anymeans, With the only negitives being crappy invo, and a lesser story, (Its bioware people, their crap stories are still better then 90% of others out there) its still a very good RPG and well worth the 60Dollars if you can run @Max settings and play on hard mode. (Normal is mind numbingly easy.)…Expand

So far it's been terrible. Clunky controls, terrible graphics. The characters are shallow and have exceptionally little dialogue. 27 pieces of DLC. Not much else has to be said. They've sold out and now cater to the lowest common denominator instead of providing high quality RPGs like they used to. Terrible.

Dragon Age II tries to change stuff when it's not necessary, such as the dialogue wheel. The combat system is... improved, but not by much - it's almost too fast and fancy now.

The story line is completely broken. It doesn't even conclude properly. You're spending the first act of the game doing side quests, the second and third act is really where the game begins.
Repetitive levels andDragon Age II tries to change stuff when it's not necessary, such as the dialogue wheel. The combat system is... improved, but not by much - it's almost too fast and fancy now.

The story line is completely broken. It doesn't even conclude properly. You're spending the first act of the game doing side quests, the second and third act is really where the game begins.

Repetitive levels and being set in ONE city (plus its outlying regions) doesn't help much either.I'm not a fan of giving a voice to the player either, as it feels like I'm watching a film. One or two of the companions are pretty good, the rest are acceptable.…Expand

Dragon Age 2 is still a average to good game from Bioware. After putting 50 hours in this game, I can understand why so many people hate this game, but if you calm down and try to enjoy it you will find it has its won merit. I spent 45 hours on my first play through in hard difficulty, right now still on my 2nd play through in nightmare difficulty. Story wise, I read a lot of reviewsDragon Age 2 is still a average to good game from Bioware. After putting 50 hours in this game, I can understand why so many people hate this game, but if you calm down and try to enjoy it you will find it has its won merit. I spent 45 hours on my first play through in hard difficulty, right now still on my 2nd play through in nightmare difficulty. Story wise, I read a lot of reviews saying how shallow the story is. However, I think the reason is most people are used to 'the lord of ring' formula. This game is not about slaying evil like the first game but a story through Hawke's life in Kirkwall. It seems there is no clear goal for the story, but there are lots of lore about dragon age world. The plot is simple, just about How the Ferelden refugee Hawke gains power in Kirkwall. But through Hawke's life you will find the conflicts between Qun and Chantry (the religion conflicts between human and qunari), you will know more about Dalish's and surface dwarves culture and of course you will learn more about the struggles between Templars and mages. The most engaging part of the game is Hawkes family and companions all have their own story, you wont feel they just suddenly pop out. Though the plot is pretty linear, you can still make lots of choices, side with different forces and influence how they will end including the companions. Origins did better Companion characters. Dragon age 2 is similar to Awakening. You can not interact with companions unless there are companion's quests. Of course there are a lot of quests from companions. Through those quests, you can push them to Friendship or Rivalry with Hawke based on your dialog choices. It's actually interesting to see how different they will treat Hawke as friend or as rivalry. And one thing I like about dragon age 2 is you actually can see how the companions are interacted with each other through cut scenes, also they will act differently as friend or as rivalry. To avoid the spoilers, I do not want to talk about companions in dragon age 2, but generally Origins' companions have more distinct personalities, of course you can see several cameos of them. Also the Warden in first game is cited a couple of times. as for combat, Many hardcore rpg gamers may hate this combat system. I can see the reason behind that. But generally combat in dragon age 2 is better and well balanced despite the animations. I did not play in easy and normal difficulties, because I know they are not designed for PC gamers. However, I found the hard mode is a satisfying tactical combat experience. Mages and rogues are vulnerable to physical damages and their actions will be interrupted often, so you will need to pause often and relocate them to avoid damage and use warrior to taunt enemies wisely. Boss fights will take quite a while, because of their huge amount of health and continuous reinforcements, however most bosses in the main plot are not very challenging, the hard parts are all in side quests. So it wont be very difficult to finish the game in hard mode. I played in nightmare for a few hours, it really takes a long time for a single battle, because you either have to relocate party members or kite frequently to avoid friendly fire or you have to kill enemies one by one without skills or spells with area effects. And bioware is being lazy on this, they put even more health and resistances to enemies but not working on AI, so some battles are just being tedious at the end. The environment design is the major flaw of this game. A lot of recycle dungeons and recycle music from Origins. I can see Bioware really rushed this game to be released (or EA forced them to rush). However, I probably will tolerate this, since this is really not the thing I care about. Because of the revamped combat system, I can see a lot of people will lose interests in this game, Though personally I do enjoy my first play through for 45 hours and I still have a couple of side quests I found but did not finish them. It's certainly shorter than Origins which took me 60 hours for first play through on hard mode. But this is still a good game if you really get into it. if you like party based tactical combat like dragon age origins and world of warcraft, I suggests you start with hard difficulty and most likely you will like dragon age 2.…Expand

This game isn't as terrible as people make it out to be. Its nothing compared to DA:O but its still a decent game. Before I go on I'll admit that I am in fact a bioware fanboy. KOTOR I and II were my favorite games as a child, Mass Effect and Mass Effect 2 had me squealing with joy, and Dragon Age: Origins is one of my favorite games of all time. That's why DA2 breaks my heart. The biggestThis game isn't as terrible as people make it out to be. Its nothing compared to DA:O but its still a decent game. Before I go on I'll admit that I am in fact a bioware fanboy. KOTOR I and II were my favorite games as a child, Mass Effect and Mass Effect 2 had me squealing with joy, and Dragon Age: Origins is one of my favorite games of all time. That's why DA2 breaks my heart. The biggest problems I had with the game were firstly they re-used the same map over and over which is not just lazy but insulting to my intelligence. It was the single most immersion breaking experience I have had in an RPG, they didn't even clean up the map when there are unused passages and you can see the rest of the same cave in the mini map although you can't get to it in this particular instance. Secondly they replaced the dialogue system with a wheel based system which I put up with in Mass Effect but am very disappointed to see being used in other games and I hope is not going to be something Bioware continue to use in the future. The biggest problem I have with it is that you try to say one thing and what Hawke actually says is something else entirely, the complex dialogue trees are also gone and generally whatever you say is responded to by a single line of dialogue then the NPC just carries on as if what you said had no impact. To me the actual dialogue system is perhaps the single most important part of Bioware's games, it defines how you interact with the world around you and how you personally shape the story, somehow Dragon Age 2's dialogue wheel system failed to immerse me in the world in the same way the ME dialogue trees did and was a huge step back from all the non-linear dialogue wheels they've had in previous titles. Third there was day 1 DLC, being a bit of a perfectionist I couldn't stand playing without the DLC and forked out the money after having to pay a full sixty dollars for the game itself. What makes me even madder is that I know they're going to eventually make a big pack that has all the DLC included for 30 or 20 dollars in one or two years, itâ…Expand

0-0 When i first tried DA: origins i thought that oblivion were the only "king of rpg's". I had to eat that back, because i suddently fell in love with that game, everything were at his place: the quests, the kind of battles, the plot, the dialogue... It was really awesome! while playing a little bit i realise that DA2 is gonna be released, i think to myself "its a little early, since its0-0 When i first tried DA: origins i thought that oblivion were the only "king of rpg's". I had to eat that back, because i suddently fell in love with that game, everything were at his place: the quests, the kind of battles, the plot, the dialogue... It was really awesome! while playing a little bit i realise that DA2 is gonna be released, i think to myself "its a little early, since its just 1 year of development from the first" but i didnt care much. Some months later i see DA2 in the store, so i gain some money to get it, I install it I try it oh dear. whats goin on with the battle? it looks like a button mashing contest everytime i have to challenge somebody, the graphics are if not equal even worse to the first one, even if its DX11 and the quests were all the goddamn same, collection quests all over the place! GET THIS GET THAT KILL THIS KILL THAT. gimme a break! In synthesis: 50 euros regretted…Expand

Holy ****What's wrong with these people? Seriously it may not be as good as other games of Bioware but still it kicks ass. Quests and combat are enjoyable and the story is good. Characters are also deep but not as deep as Origins or Mass Effect.

Dragon Age II is one step forward and three steps back compared to the previous game. On the one hand, you have a solid (if very linear) story, well made graphics and ... well those are the only positives I can really give. The interface has been simplified, lacks any of the nice design and art of the first game, the characters are mostly flat and dull, areas much smaller, interaction withDragon Age II is one step forward and three steps back compared to the previous game. On the one hand, you have a solid (if very linear) story, well made graphics and ... well those are the only positives I can really give. The interface has been simplified, lacks any of the nice design and art of the first game, the characters are mostly flat and dull, areas much smaller, interaction with the world has been severely limited, the combat has less tactics and is more scripted not to mention the game is far too easy on normal and you basically end up spamming every ability and spell while making sure no-one croaks. Do that, and you can easily survive in "hard" mode. Sorry, but that's not how RPGs are supposed to work. On top of that, the game makes so many more mistakes - no free-roaming camera to oversee battles, no way to gear up your team mates or swap gear (meaning every piece of armour or ring you pick up, you have to wear), dialog has become ridiculously simple with the dialog choices having virtually no impact. This is essentially Mass Effect: Fantasy Edition - taking all the stuff that made Mass Effect 2 less fun than the first Mass Effect and jamming it into a game which sold millions and was loved by many.…Collapse

Despite some advancement in storytelling approach and liberal borrowing from Bioware's Mass Effect approach to gameplay, Dragon Age 2 on the PC has a lot of bugs and is populated with re-used settings that make this feel like a play performed on a stage with two sets.

For a rushed product that is still battling bugs, the currently offered product still provides 40 hours of challenging and engaging gameplay. This combines to provide a good, but not great gaming experience.